Parent Seminar: Mental Health

 Common  Most not in treatment- Early Intervention is key  Promoting mental health is integral to overall health  50% of all mental illness occurs by the age of 14; and 75% by age of 24  1 in 5 young people have an Emotional, Mental or Behavioral Disorder causing some impairment in any given year  Fewer than 20% receive any sort of treatment  Average delay between onset of symptoms and intervention is 8-10 years Why talk about mental health?

 A term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders.  Continuum of severity from mild/acute to severe and persistent  Are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s  Thinking*feeling  Mood*ability to relate to others  and daily functioning  Are illnesses like any other…not unlike diabetes or asthma.  Cannot be overcome through "will power" and are not related to a person's "character" or intelligence. Mental illnesses…

Risk & Protective Factors

Risk Factors  Low Self Esteem  Anxiety and depression  Poor social skills  Poor communication skills  Poor problem solving skills  Favorable attitude towards drugs  Early substance use  Parent-child or family conflict/negative family environment  Parental substance use  Lack of supervision  Peer Rejection  Trauma and abuse  School failure

 Protective factors are characteristics, conditions, or behaviors that reduce the effects of stressful life events  Increasing protective factors promote positive mental health (among other positive outcomes)  These factors also increase an individual’s ability to:  avoid risks or hazards  promote social and emotional competence  to thrive in all aspects of life, now and in the future Protective Factors

Types of Mental Health Disorders

 Unexplained changes in mood, personality and energy  Social Isolation  Changes in eating and sleeping  Change in behavior or speech  Feelings of worthlessness and suicidal thoughts  Irrational fears  Extreme anxiety  Drug or alcohol abuse Common Signs and Symptoms

 Mental illness is treated through: Early Identification Education Therapy Medication Support and advocacy  70 to 90 percent of individuals experience significant symptom reduction and improved life quality How is Mental Illness Treated?

 Stigma erodes confidence that mental disorders are real, treatable health conditions.  Stigma fosters attitudinal, structural and financial barriers to effective treatment and recovery  Parents often feel blamed, frustrated and unsupported by family, friends and others Stigma is a Primary Barrier

Family Resource Facilitator  Early intervention strategy  Link youth and families to services  Provide families with support  Available statewide  Offer services at no cost to families  Find your local FRF (see handout) Family Resource Facilitator

 Mental Health is not just the absence of mental illness  Integral to overall health  Mental health includes:  High levels of life satisfaction and  emotional and social well-being  Mental health promotion involves actions to create living conditions and environments that support mental health and allow people to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.  Increasing the presence of protective factors is key component of promoting mental health Positive Mental Health

 1. Promote Positive Mental Health (protective factors)!  2. Watch for early warning signs- seek out resources early.  3. Get educated! Things to keep in mind:  Don’t be afraid to talk about mental health  Mental health problems are common  Mental health problems are highly treatable  Breakdown stigma  There is hope! What can parents do?

 Airline oxygen instruction  Put on your mask first  Can’t help your child if you can’t breathe yourself  If you don’t take care of you, you can’t take care of the needs of your child and the rest of the family Put on your mask first!

 Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health   Local Mental Health Authority  Find yours at  NAMI Utah:  Allies with Families:  New Frontiers for Families:  Family Resource Facilitators- find yours at one of the above websites  National Institute of Mental Health: Resources and Support